From Psychology to Software Engineering: Learn How Kateri Found her True Calling

Learn?about Kateri Boink’s?experience?in using?coffee?chats?on?Skilbi.com ?to land and internship after changing career pathways from psychology to software engineering!

Interested?in?tech? Read on for some?expert?tips!

Q: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

A: I grew up in?Miami?— and therefore, I speak both?English?and?Spanish?— and now I live in?Boston, after doing my?undergrad?at?Boston?College. I am?currently?enrolled in the?post-baccalaureate?Computer?Science?degree at?Oregon?State?University, and study and work?remotely. I recently transitioned into the tech industry, after having studied Psychology at BC — which has been an interesting but exciting journey so far!

Q: What would you say is your greatest accomplishment so far?

A: I would?definitely?say that?making?the?decision?to?pivot?into?tech?has been my?greatest?accomplishment?so far! During the beginning of the?pandemic, I?taught?myself?to?code, which eventually led me to look into a more stable path (other than?online?courses) to?learning?computer?science. It was?daunting?in the moment, as I had everything?planned?out?to go to med school, and so it was a huge?decision?to?steer?away?from that path. I’m therefore very?proud?of making it this far, and I have been very?lucky?for all the?support?I’ve gotten from my family and friends.

Q: What is your dream job?

A: My?desired?career?role?is to be a?software?developer. I’m?not?100%?fixed yet on the?exact?company?or?industry, but I have always been interested in working in?healthcare, or, if not, the?government. With my background in psychology, I think that being a?software?developer?in the?healthcare?industry sounds quite?promising! Another?vital?factor?for me is working with a team of?like-minded people?with?similar?goals?to me, so that we can all?help?and?learn?from each other.

Q: What’s the most interesting business-related experience you have had recently?

A: Earlier this year, I attended a?Harvard?WeCode?conference, which is a?student-run conference?for?women?in?STEM?- it was very?insightful, and I’m really happy I had the?opportunity?to?attend! Not only did I?learn?a lot, but I also met several?students?from?other?schools?that I never would have met otherwise. Additionally, it was a?great?opportunity?to?connect?with other students from?my?program?at Oregon State, who I did not know very well before.

Q: Did you have anyone to guide you through your application process?

A: I had a few?connections?that were?happy?enough to?meet?with me and give?encouragement?as a?woman?coming into?tech, and I also?connected?with various?students?at the?conference?I attended?earlier?this year - but, other than that, not really. I just started?searching?online?to find the?right?opportunity?for me - which is when I came across?Skilbi’s?platform.

Q: How did Skilbi help you find your internship?

A: I had never heard of?Skilbi?before, but it?intrigued?me - so I?decided?to?explore?the?platform?some more, and I liked what I saw! After setting up my?profile?and my?SMART?goal, I scrolled through different?opportunities?in the?Project?Hub, and came across a?UX/UI Design Internship. I decided to?apply?and was?offered?the position!

A: After?successfully?landing my?first?ever?internship, I was?curious?about finding out what more?Skilbi’s?platform?had to?offer. I?browsed?through the?Mentor?Hub?and eventually requested a?coffee?chat?with?Emmanuel, the?CEO?&?Founder?of?Skilbi. He agreed to meet, and was very?supportive?in?helping?me ease into the?tech?field. Shortly after, he?offered?me an?internship?at?Skilbi?as a?Software?Engineer!

Q: What advice would you give to students applying for their first internship in the technology industry?

A: I have?four?pieces of?advice:

1. I would?strongly?recommend taking?online?coding?tests?if you are looking to become a software engineer. This helps you prepare for technical interviews.
2. Secondly,?keep practising?what you have learnt!?Learning a programming language is like learning a new normal language?(Spanish, French, German)?— if you stop practising, you start to lose your proficiency.
3. Always learn?something new! Tech is always changing…
4. Form connections?with other people in tech, to learn more about their?perspectives?and?experiences!

Q: What’s your favourite thing about working at Skilbi?

A: I have had a great?experience?working at?Skilbi, so far! Everyone on the team is very?creative-minded. Plus, they’re?fun?and?easy?to?collaborate?with — they’re genuinely great people! I also highly support Skilbi's mission in helping?students to grow, as I know, from experience, that the interview process can generally be daunting and challenging. It therefore feels very rewarding to work on this team, contributing to Skilbi’s continued success!

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